Combination reversing means



'Dec. 31, 1946. MSPECTOR I 2,413,659

COMBINATION REVERSING MEANS, TRANSFER MEANS, AND YIELDABLE PUSHER FINGER MEANS IN MATCH BOOK ASSEMBLING MECHANISM Filed April 14, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 58 a 3 6/ 5 J FZFJE 59 9 $7 76 22 IN V EN TOR.

Dec. 31, 1946. SPECTQR 2,413,659

COMBINATION REVERSING MEANS, TRANSFER MEANS, AND YIELDABLE PUSHER FINGER MEANS IN MATCH BOOK ASSEMBLING MECHANISM Filed April 14, 1941 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

2,413,659 COMBINATION REVERSING MEANS TRANSFER MEANS AND YIELDABLE Dec. 31,1946. s c

PUsHE'R FINGER MEANS'IN MA'iCH BOOK ASSEMBLiNG MECHANISM Filed April 14, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 y u I \QM QN mm @w mm,

Patented Dec. 31, 1946 COMBINATION REVERSINGr MEANS, TRANS- FER MEANS, AND YIELDABLE PUSHER FINGER IVIEANS IN MATCH BOOK ASSEM- BLING MECHANISM Morris Spector, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Spector Patents, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application April 14, 1941, Serial No. 388,440

This application is a continuation in part of my copending application, Serial No. 381,166, filed February 28, 1941, issued December 26, 1944, as Patent No. 2,365,733.

This invention relates to assembling mechanism for match book making machines.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improved mechanism for assembling match books. ed, owing to the heads of the matches being positioned at one end of the books, th match books are thinner at one end than at the other and it is therefore necessary that the match books be alternated preparatory to packing, that is, the thicker end of one book be positioned between the thinner ends of the adjacent books on opposite sides thereof.

When match books are delivered by a match book making machine they travel in a straight line, one behind the other, with the thin ends of all the books facing in the same direction. It has been proposed to reverse alternate books by a transfer mechanism which transfers the books from the match making portion of the machine to the stacking portion thereof, said transfer mechanism beingarranged to reverse alternate books. The transfer mechanism comprises a rotatable polygonal shaped frame having a number of receivers or pockets on the periphery thereof each of which receives a match book and transfers it to the stacking mechanism. In one form of mechanism, such as shown in the patent to Nevins, No. 1535031, the alternate receivers are rotatable so that alternat match books are reversed as they are moved from-the assembling line to the stacking mechanism. Such an arrangement is quite satisfactory in a medium or low speed machine. However, if the machine is to be operated at a very high speed then alternate match books which are being reversed as well as moved towards the assembling mechanism must be moved at a terrifically high velocity. This is objectionable. In addition, the means for reversing alternate pockets must necessarily be located within the polygonal frame. This necessitates a comparatively large frame and, at the same time, imposes the condition that the gearing be very small and therefore cutwith a high degree of -1:irecis'ion Any wear on the gears will produceplay'or' back-lash whiol'i -is. highly ob j'ectionable. I-tisone of the objects of the presentinvention to provide a' reversing mechanism in addition to the transfer mechanism thus relieving the transfer mechanism of the duty of reversing As commonly construct- 3 Claims. (Cl. 226-4) I alternate books and therefore permitting a higher w cessive movements of the book.

speed of operation. Since the reversing mechanism is apart from the transfer mechanism it also may have a high speed of operation. While one match'book is being transferred to the stacking mechanism the next succeeding book is in the process of reversal. Furthermore, since the reversing mechanism is apart from the transfer mechanism the actuating gearing for the reversing mechanism need not be made as small as in the case where the reversing mechanism is combined with the transfer mechanism. Larger gearing eliminates the need of extreme precautions as to precision and therefore avoids a large amount of play developing after a small amount of wear of the hearings or teeth.

The books are delivered by the match book making machine in a step by step manner, there being a period of dwell between each successive movement of the match book. The step by step movement of the match book is necessitated because each book is advanced successively to the different operating mechanisms for forming the book, with a period of dwell at each operating mechanism. of the present invention a turn table is positioned to receive each successively completed match book from the match book making machine. The turn table'is interposed between the match book making machine and the transfer frame or turret which transfers the books to a stacking mechanism. The turntable is arranged to rotatethrough for-each alternate book received thereby, during the period of dwell between suc- On the intervening alternate books received by the turn table the turn table remains stationary. Thus the turn. table reverses the position of alternate books. Any desired means may be provided for rotating the turn table through its 180. One suitable means is by a cam arrangement driven by the main shaft of the match book making machine so that the rotation of the reversing table is always in proper phase relationship to the movement of the match books delivered by the match book making machine. If desired, an electromagnet may be provided for turning the turn main shaft of the match book making'machine. In any event, regardless of the specific mechanism used for' turningthe' turn table or match book making mechanism, the arrangement is In accordance with the principles during the entire intervals when-the intervening alternate books are in the turn table;

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention herein illustrated the pusher mechanism for advancing the books step by step has a locus of motion which intersects the locus -'of* motion of the book reversing mechanism. In the ordinary operation of the machine the pusher mechanism is out of the way of the reversing mechanism at the time of the rotation of the reversing mechanism. Also, the reversing mechanism completes its cycle of motion before "the pusher mechanism is moved into the path of motion ofthe reversing mechanism. When the machine is operated by unskilled operators it sometimes happens that match books jam; When this occurs the reversing mechanism maybe held in an'intermediate position by the jammed match books and thus be held directly in the path of movement of the pusher'mechanism. As the pusher mechanism is then advanced it may abut the reversingmechanism; It is oneof the objects of the present invention to provide means fer preventing injury to the pusher mechanism' in the event of such abutment. In accordance with the preferred embodimentof the present invention the portion of the pusher mechanism-which will abut the reversingmechanismunder"such circumstances is resiliently mounted so thatit moves out, of the way as the pusher. bar advances against anabutment, such'as against the jammed reversing mechanism; Thisprevents injury-to the pusher bar. Thereafter-,when the jammed match books are removed and the-reversing mechanism is brought to itsproper position; the pusher bar springs'back'to its normal position. In the me ferred' embodiment of the: present invention the forward abutting portion or the pusherrbar is hinged to therest of the pusher bar and urged to its normalposition by a spring. If the hinged finger-comesintoabutment with the jammed reversing mechanism. the hinged part merely pivots'out of' the way as the pusher finger advances.

Thereafter; when the jamis removed, the spring restoresthe hinged finger to'its normal position. This prevents injury to :the mechanism. If desired, the pin that hinges the pusher finger to the rest of the pusher mechanism may be made of rather frangible material, or may be made rather weak, so that the pin will shear before any'other part of the machine is injured, in the event of a jam. This sheared pin is'readily replaceable once the jam has been cleared.

The attainment of the above and further, ob- J'ectsof the present. invention will .be apparent from the following specification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front view'of a machine embody-- ing therpresent invention,,.certain parts of the;

machine :whicharenot a part-of the present inea vention being :omitted;

Figure 2 is afragmentary plan *viewofa part thereof;

Figure-:3 isv anyenlarged 'front view ofwa part thereof Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line G-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the reversing mechanism, with certain of the partsioroken away;

Figure 6 is a bottom view of the, forward end of a pusher bar of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary side view of the end of the pusher bar of a modified construction; and Figure 8 is a top view of the bar of Figure 7.

Reference may now be had. more particularly to Figures 1 and 2. The mechanism of the present invention is applied to a standard type of match book making machine, indicated at I. The

machine may be of any preferred construction,

and manufactures match books of a well known type, such as, for instance, are manufactured by the machine of the patent to Paridon, et al., No. 1,042,472, although the match book making machine of Figure l'is specifically a different type ct -machine. The machine includes a rectangular table top 2 supported by four legs 3. A motor driven "main drive shaft 4 is journalled on the under side of the tabletop 2 and has keyed thereto various camsfor operating thematch book making machine which form no part of the present invention. It is sufficient to sayv that the match book covers 6 and match splints l are assembled together at a station indicated at 8 and.

then slid along a flat slide 10 to astapling position l I, where the match splints are centered between the ends of the cover by centering arms I2-l2, and a wire staple I3 is inserted to staple the-match splints to the cover. This completes the. match book. The match book is then slid forward along the slide Hi to a. reversing position in a reversing mechanism i5. All of the. books leaving the stapling positicni i are inalignment with one another with the stapled end, that is,

the thin end of the book, foremost. Thereversing mechanism reverses alternate books so that on the books reversed the stapled end is rearward of themachine rather than forwardly of the machine. The books are then slid forward to a transfer mechanism I6 from which they are transferred by a stacking mechanism [8 which stacks them on a delivery table l9. When a row of twenty-five books, or any other suitable number of books, has been delivered to the table It a pusher 20 pushes the row of books forward, thus making room for thenext row of twentyfivebooks, as is well known in the art.

The match books in the process of formation;

and also after completion, are advanced on the slide 10 by-a pair of pusher bars 22 that embrace the slide ID and each of which has a plurality of. upwardly extending fingers 24 and 25 a distance apart equal to the length of the stroke of the pusher bars. The pusher bars are illustrated in Figure 2 in their foremostposition. In the operationof the machine the pusher is actuated from the main shaft 4 in sucha manner that the, fingers 24 move downwardly. below the top of the slide I0 and then back for the full length of the stroke, then up again and forward to the position illustrated in Figures 2 and 4. This type of motion may be obtained by any one of a number of well known types .of mechanisms, for instance, the mechanismshown in United States patent. to Greenbaum, et al'.,.No. 1,694,505. This.

completes one cycle of travel of: they pusherbars, eachcycle resulting in thetadvancement of a set of-three-match books tojthe next succeeding position; Th fingers 24' are rigid with respect to thev pusher" bar constituting an integral; part ter-clockwise movement of the pusher finger 25 by the match book. Thereafter, as the pusher bars advance, the foremost fingers 25 push the foremost match book forward as though the fingers 25 were rigid with the bars 22. However, when the foremost fingers 25 engage a rigid obstruction they pivot out of the way and permit the advance of the pusher fingers notwithstanding the obstruction, as will be apparent as this description proceeds.

A description will now be given of the construction of the reversing mechanism l5 for reversing alternate match books. mechanism is supported on a standard 28 rigidly mounted on the table top 2. A pair of ledges or brackets 29-39 are welded or otherwise secured to the standard 28. A stud shaft 32 is journalled between the brackets 29-30 and carries a gear sector 33 rotatable about the axis of the stud shaft 32. The teeth of the sector 33 are in mesh with a gear wheel 35 that is loose on a stud shaft 36 and which is of a radius half the radius of the gear sector 33. The lower surface of the gear wheel 35 has anarm 38 secured thereto and which rotates with the gear wheel 35. The arm.

38 has a pawl 39 pivotally secured thereto, which pawl engages a ratchet 4| keyed to the stud shaft 36. The ratchet has two teeth thereon. The ratchet 41 rotates the shaft 36 which carries, at its lower end, a match book receiver or turn table 42. The receiver 42 is rotated with the stud shaft 36. pair of arms 4344 adapted to embrace a match book 45 and hold the same lightly as by a small plate 46 which is pressed toward the match book by a very light spring. The match book is thus held lightly in the receiver 42, even though there may be slight differences in the widths of sue: cessive match hooks delivered. The axis of the stud shaft 36 is at right angles to the slide I9 and passes exactly through the center of the match book 45 in the receiver 42. The reversing mechanism is rotatable to rotate the receiver 42 through an angle exactly 180". Means is provided for centering the receiver 42 in its two alternate positions to make up for any slight wear on the that has a rounded nose adapted to enter the groove 49 and force the disc 48 to its proper.

centering position under the action of a spring 52.

The gear sector 33 is oscillated to and fro through an angle of 90 by a link 55 that is re ciprocated longitudinally by a lever 56 keyed to a pivoted shaft 51 that is oscillated by a crank 58 keyedthereto and which carries a roller at The reversing The receiver 42 includes a revolutions of the shaft 4, the shaft 51 oscillates back and forth once, thus advancing the link 55 and the gear sector once and then returning to the position illustrated in Figure 5. As the link 55 moves to the right from the position illus trated in Figures 2 and 5, it rotates the gear sector 33 clockwise and rotates the gear wheel counter-clockwise. The cam 59 and the linkage between the roller 58 and the gear sector 33 are so proportioned that the stroke of the gear sector 33 is an amount just suflicient to ro-' tate the gear wheel 35'through an angle of 180'. During that time the arm 38 and pawl 39 rotate through an angle of I80", the pawl rides upon the ratchet wheel 4| and produces no motion at the ratchet. Upon the reverse movement of the link When the shaft 51 oscillates in one direction it moves the lever and through it a pawl 39 in one direction. Upon reverse oscillatory movement of the shaft 51 the pawl 39 is moved in the reverse direction. The cam 59 which, through the lever 58, oscillates the shaft 51, is arranged so that the oscillation thereof in one direction is produced during approximately 75 of circular motion of the cam 59. During the next 285 rotation of the cam 59 the shaft 51 is oscillated in the reverse direction. It is obvious, therefore, that during somewhat less than one-fourth of each revolution of the cam 59 the gear wheel 35 is rotated in one direction and during the remainder of the 360 of rotation of the cam 59 the gear wheel 35 is rotated in the opposite direction. Only one direction of rotation of the gear wheel is used to turn the match book receiver 42. The driving motion of the receiver 42 is during the 75 rotation of the cam 59. It is thus apparent that the receiver is rotated through 180 during approximately 150 turn of the main shaft 4 and that the receiver 42 remains stationary during the remaining turn of the shaft 4 and during all of the next succeeding revolution of the shaft 4. Thus, for one cycle of movement of a match book the receiver remains entirely stationary and for the next cycle of movement of a match book the receiver rotates through an angle of 180 during less than half of the cycle of rotation of the shaft 4 and remains stationary during the rest of the cycle. Thus there is a substantial period of dwell of the receiver during each revolution of the shaft 4. This period of dwell allows sufficient time for pushing a book out of the receiver and advancing a succeeding book into it. Thus alternate match books are reversed on the slide l9 while resting on the slide. During the counter-clock wise turning of the gear wheel 35, that is, when the pawl 39 is being retracted on the ratchet wheel 4| without turning it, the spring pressed pawl 50 holds the disc 48 stationary, thus preits lower end that rides on a cam 59 keyed on at; stud shaft EOdriven by the main shaft 4 at exactly halfthe speed of the main shaft 4 through a set of gears lit-62.

direction by a spring 63. one complete revolution for each book delivered by the match book making machine I. With each revolution of the shaft 60, that is, for every two The shaft 51 is moved in one direction by the cam and in the reverse The shaft 4 makesa frame I9 keyed to a rotatable shaft H and.

having four identical uniformly spaced match book holders 12, each of which is similar to the receiver 42, on the periphery of theframe I9.

' The frame is driven from the main shaft 4 through an angle of 7 for every revolution of the main shaft 4. This is accomplished bya- 2, exc se-9.

pawl and ratchet drive. The ratchet is indicated at -15 and is keyed to the shaft Hand has fourratchet teeth uniformly spaced thereon. The

ratchet teeth are engaged by a pawl 15' on a crank which is loose on the, shaft H and is oscil- 1 lated by a pawl rod 19 which is moved down by a lever TI pivoted to one of the legs 3 at 18 and actuated-by a cam 19 onthe shaft 4. A spring 89 moves the pawl rod -16 in the reverse direction. During each revolution of the cam 19 the shaft ll is moved through one-quarter revolution with'a period of dwell between successive turnings of the shaft 'H.- The period of-- dwell exceeds half of the period of one revolution of the shaft 4. The match book holders 12 thus transfer the successive match books, from the level of the slide Ill through 90 to the level of a stacking table l9.

A stacking mechanism is provided for discharging successive books from the transfer mechanism to the stacking table. The stacking mechanism comprises a pair of interconnected horizontally reciprocating rods 82-452 having fingers- B383 at their ends. During the period of dwell of the frame 10, while one match book is being delivered to the uppermost holder 12 of the frame,

the rods 82 move the fingers 83 in a direction from right to left as seen in Figures 2 and 3, to push the match book from the holder 12 onto the delivery table l9. Match books are thus stacked on the table one against another with alternate books reversed so that the thin end of one book is betwen the thick end of two adjacent books and with the flaps of all the books facing in the same direction.

An explanation will now be given of the operation of the machine under abnormal conditions. Assume that an obstruction has been moved into the path of motion of the rotating receiver 42 which prevents complete rotation thereof. Such an obstruction may consist of a large number of packets or booklets of matches which may have become jammed in the machine. The cam 59, it is to be noted, rotates the shaft 51 positively in one direction, that is, in the clockwise direction. As the cam pushes the roller 58 outwardly from the axis of the shaft 59 it pushes the lever 55 in the direction to the right, as seen in Figures l, 2, 3 and 5. This movement of the lever 55 to the right causes rotation of the gear sector 33 (Fig. and a corresponding rotation of the gear 95 in mesh therewith. It is to be noted that the gear 35 does not rotate the receiver 42. Therefore this rotation of the gear 35 can and does take place notwithstanding the fact that the receiver 42 is jammed. Later, when the apex of the cam- 59- passes the roller 53'- (Fig. 3) and continues to rotate, it permits the spring 63 to press the roller 58 towards the cam 59 and thus pull the lever 55 in a direction to the left as seen in Figures 1, 2,. 3 and 5. It is this movement that tends to rotate the'receiver 42. If the re ceiver 42 is jammed against rotation it does not rotate and, through the gear 35, prevents rotation of' the gear sector 33 and prevents move-' ment of the lever 55 to the left, thus preventing the link 56 from rotating in a direction counter:

clockwise as seen in Figures and thereby preventing the roller 58.' from following the cam 59, The .cam 59 thus recedes from" the .roller 58, Since the spring isineifective to maintain it in contact with the cam, due. to the fact that the receiver 42 is lockedg Ihus, any jammingiof the receiver. cannot result in injury of the receiver.

or in injury of-themechanism that drives-thereceiver.- r Y Assume now that the receiver is jammed in a position at an angle to the position illustrated in Figures 2 and 4. It is now directly in the path of movement of the fingers 25 at the ends of the pusher bars 22. When the pusher bars 22 are pushed to the right from the position illustratedin Figure 4 the fingers 25 abut against the-receiver 42. Further movement of the pusher bars 1 22, causes the fingers 25 to pivot about the pins 26, against the action of the leaf spring 21-. When a finger 25 has been thus turned through" an angle exceeding approximately 45 the spring:

21 forces the finger to snap further in a counterclockwise direction until the surface of-the finger abuts against the spring 21. The spring then maintains the finger 25 in a horizontal position where it is out of the way of the receiver 42. Further to and fro reciprocation of the pusher bars 22 can result in no injury of the fingers 25, since they are now permanently out of the way of the sides of the receiver 42. In the meantime completed match books are piling up rearwardly of the receiver 42 and being crushed by the arms 24. The operator notices this and. stops the machine. Thereafter the match books that were crushed during the jam can be removed, and the source of trouble remedied. Then the pusher fingers 25 are rotated about the pins 26 in a clockwise direction until they resume the position illustrated in Figure 4'.

In this position the leaf spring snaps against the lower flat surface 9! of the pusher fingers 25 and holds it in the position illustrated, against the normally light counter-pressure of match books which will be pushed thereby.

It is to be noted that the front face of each 25, .is pivoted to a pusher bar 22 by a pivot pin- 26, as before. The lower end of the pusher finger 25' extends below the forward narrow edge of the pusher bar 22 and has a pin 96 which receives the end of a tension spring 91 that is secured to a pin 98 on the pusher bar 22. The spring pulls the pusher finger in a clockwise direction until the pin 96 abuts against the forward extending part 95 of the pusher bar 22, thus constituting a stop for limiting the extent of clockwiserotation of the pusher finger 25. about the pin 25. The pusher finger 25'is then in the position illustrated in Figure 7. When the receiver 42. jams and is held in a position in the path of movement of a finger 25' as thepusherrod moves forward, there will be no injury to the mechanism. -Under such circumstances the finger 25 engages the receiver 42. Upon further advance of the pusher bars 22 the finger25 is turned in a counter-clockwise direction; by the receiver until the finger reaches-a horizontal DQ7- sition. At this time the pin 95 has risen above the pin 26 so that the spring 91 now urges-the finger 25' in a counter-c1ockwise direction, thus tendingto hold the finger 25' in the lower. p0 sition to which it has been pushed 'by there ceiver 42.: A suitablestop 99 is provided for lime 9 iting the counter-clockwise rotation of the fingers 25. The fingers thus remain in their lowered position until the machine has been stopped and the jam can be cleared.

From the above description it is apparent that although the path of motion of the pusher fingers 25 crosses the path of motion of the receiver 42, there can be no injury to the parts in the event of a jam at the receiver.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes I have here shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention. It is, however, to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction here shown, the same being merely illustrativeof the principles of the invention.

What is considered new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a match book making machine including a slide upon which match books are slid in a step by step manner to difierent stations where different operations are performed upon the books in the process of manufacture, a pusher mechanism pushing the books in a step by step manner from station to station, a rotary book receiver positioned above the slide, said pusher mechanism including a pusher finger which pushes the books through the receiver, said finger having a normal path of motion intersecting the path of motion of the receiver, said finger being held in position on the pusher mechanism and being connected thereto in such a manner as to remain in an upstanding position during normal operation of the machine and free to be flexed .out of its normal position if it abuts against an obstruction in its path of motion, and said machine including means for holding the finger in the position to which it is flexed.

2. In a match book making machine including a slide upon which match books are slid in a step by step manner to difierent stations where dif- ,taining the receiver stationary during the periods of dwell of the intervening alternate book's, whereby alternate books are reversed in their passage through the receiver, said pusher mechanism including a pusher finger for pushing the books, said finger having a path of motion intersecting the path of motion of the receiver, said finger being pivoted to the rest of the pusher mechanism to swing out of the path of motion of the receiver if it abuts against the same, and spring means for holding the finger in the position to which it is swung.

3. In a match book making machine, a reversing mechanism for receiving successive books and reversing alternate books, a transfer mechanism including means for receiving all of the books from the reversing mechanism one at a time and turning every book through substantially a. pusher mechanism for pushing the successive books into the reversing mechanism and for pushing the books from the reversing mechanism into the transfer mechanism, said pusher mechanism having an upstanding book pushing finger that moves through a path of motion intersecting the path of motion of the reversing mechanism, said finger being pivoted to the rest of the pusher mechanism about a pivot axis at right angles to the direction of pushing motion of the pusher finger and movable from an operative to an inoperative position, and means for holding the finger in each of said alternate positions when it has been moved thereinto.

MORRIS SPECTOR. 

